The Osceola times., 1887-08-27
WASHINGTON LETTER
WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. %, 1887.
(From Our Regular Correspoadeni.)

(From Our Regular Correspoadent)
Civil Service Commissioner Ed
gerton's reply to the structures OF
Mr.. Geo. w. Curtis, on the civil
service system is all that the true
friends Of reform have right to ex
pect, showing as it does, that Presi-
dent Cleveland and the Democratic
party have redeemed their pledges
in that regard, at least to the full
letter of the civil service act. 1t is
frankly admitted that more Demo
crats than Republicans are appoint
ed because Republican politicians
have fostered the false idea that
members of that party had no chance,
thus deterring many from attempt
ing an examination, while, on the
other hand, Democrats had nothing
to discourage their aspirations. Mr..
Edgerton asserts most positively
that the political opinion of the can
didates for places are not known in
any case, and that all the names OF
those who pass an examination are
rated in the order of merit on the
list of eligibles. The Democrats
who have criticised the Administra-
ton for failing to "turn the rascals
out" fast enough, should certainly
find some comfort in studying the
returns of decapi,ations as made by
the Post Office Department for the
past three years, which, as Horace
Greeley would say, will be "mighty
interesting reading" During the
last fiscal year 3,04S offices were cs-
tablshed; discontinued 1900; ap.
pointmen.s on designations and com
missions expired, 1858; appoint.
mcnts on removals and suspensions.
1854; appointments on change oI
names and sites, 4S2; appointments
on deaths OF postmasters, $50: total
number Of appointments of postmas.
ters of all grades during the year
1909; for the years 1855 and 1885
22,747 and 9,547, respectively, max.
ing a total of 46,373 for the three
years of Democratic administration
which | think is pretty fair show.
ing from a purely partisan stand
point, your correspondent believes
that ",he boys in the trenches
should fill the offices.
The great and good work of re-
claiming public lands from the grasp.
ing and greedy railroad corporations
who have forfeited their chartered
rights, still goes on, keeping step tc
the music of reform and the rights
of the people. The most inportan,
decision Of this kind given in years
was rendered by the Secretary OF
the Interior a few days since, revok-
ing the order of his Republican pre-.
decessor, which withdrew from set
Element, under the Presumption and
Homestead laws, the lands condi.
tionally granted by Congress to the
Atlantic and Pacific railroad compa.
nv, amounting to twenty-five OIL
thirty million acres of land, in this
case alone; the order applies to sew.
eral other railroads as well and it is
at present impossible to name the
vast number of acres added to the
public domain. Every honest West
ern settler will now BE- moved to toss
up his hat and hands and enthusi-
asticallv "hooray" for Lamar, who
thus eourageously performs great
public duty that enshrines his name
among the gods of their humble
households.
The death Of Professor Spenser
F. Baird, Secretary of the Smithso-
nian Institution, and Commissioner
Of Fish and Fisheries, is one of the
greatest calamities that could befall
the world of science. He devoted
a long and useful life to scientific
researches and literary labors, and